The Diablo III Website has a list of hotfixes implemented over the past couple of days in Blizzard's MMORPG sequel. There is just one fix listed from yesterday, but there is a longer list of changes from the day before, but these carry a warning saying: "If you have not yet completed Diablo III on Normal, some hotfixes described in this list may include spoilers."

You're making the mistake of thinking people are forced to use the AH... You don't need optimal gear at every moment to get by... People do it, but don't need to... )

Fair enough, but 'min/max' players make up the majority of Action RPG gamers from my experience. People for whom it's about the journey (like myself) tend to be in a distinct minority. From the way I've seen the loot system in D3 described at length by many posters in several different threads it seems like the majority of players would be compelled to use the auction house. Call me a cynic, but given that Blizzard is taking a cut of every transaction, that smells like a design decision, not happenstance.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi